Harvey Keitel

To pigeonhole Harvey Keitel as a master of edgy degenerates and killers would have dismissed the actor's many successes with surly husbands, benign cops and intrepid detectives. His prolific but slow-...
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Crooner Michael Bolton formed an unlikely duo with Goodfellas star Paul Sorvino in the early hours of Tuesday (16Dec14) after teaming up to serenade guests at a premiere afterparty for Tim Burton's new film, Big Eyes. The stars were among the attendees at the Kappo Masa restaurant event in New York, where they joined the movie's star Amy Adams and fellow guests Jason Schwartzman, Patrick Stewart, Harvey Keitel, Krysten Ritter, Brooke Shields and Rufus Wainwright to celebrate the picture's release on Monday night (15Dec14).
The party continued past midnight, when Bolton and Sorvino began "comparing their singing pipes", before Adams suggested they team up to perform a duet as a little festive treat.
They took her advice and began belting out Christmas carols for the party, including renditions of O Holy Night and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.
Broadway star Jessie Mueller also joined in the with Bolton and Sorvino to perform Silent Night, according to the New York Post.

"He told me that when... they did The Last Temptation of Christ together and Willem had to be lifted once, bolted to the cross, that he came out of his loincloth... He said, 'Guys, I'm gonna need some help!' And Harvey told me that a grip... said, 'Is that props or animal wrangler?'" Edward Norton fuels the myth that Willem Dafoe is one of Hollywood's most well-endowed stars thanks to a story Harvey Keitel told him.

California Suite co-stars Jane Fonda and Michael Caine are to reunite onscreen in Italian director Paolo Sorrentino's new film Youth. Rachel Weisz, Harvey Keitel and Paul Dano have also signed up to work on the Oscar-winning filmmaker's latest project, which centres on two old friends vacationing together at a hotel at the foot of the Alps, according to Deadline.com.
Sorrentino is currently in demand after picking up the Best Foreign Language film Oscar in March (14) for his acclaimed movie The Great Beauty.

The Grand Budapest Hotel has become Wes Anderson's highest grossing movie ever. The comedy-drama, which stars Ralph Fiennes, Jeff Goldblum and Harvey Keitel, has earned $103 million (£64.4 million) at the global box office since its release last month (Mar14), with the majority of its profits made overseas. The Royal Tenenbaums is now Anderson's second most successful release with $71 million (£44.4 million), ahead of Moonrise Kingdom, which earned $68 million (£42.5 million).

Magnolia Pictures via Everett Collection
The Twilight Saga is one of the most financially successful film franchises in history... which is perplexing, considering that the movies aren’t any good. For better or worse, the series has renewed audience interest in vampiric mythology, as exemplified by the success of The Vampire Diaries and the proliferation of more vampire films and television shows each year. This is fine, but those who believe that Twilight represents the best of vampire movies clearly haven’t seen much else. In order to correct this, below are 10 vampire movies that are better than Twilight.
Nosferatu
Nosferatu is widely regarded as one of the most influential horror movies ever made. See it for the haunting visuals that represent the best of German Expressionism, and the terrifying depiction of evil on the actors’ faces. Unlike other silent films, Nosferatu isn’t dated, and still holds up to many horror films released today.
Let the Right One In
The American remake with Chloe Moretz doesn’t match the brilliance of this Swedish masterpiece by Tomas Alfredson. Essentially, Let the Right One In is Twilight for grown-ups, and it’s a reminder that vampire movies can be smart and sophisticated. The final climactic scene in the pool, in particular, is a work of art.
Near Dark
Kathryn Bigelow’s Near Dark isn’t as well-known as her Oscar-winning war flick The Hurt Locker, but it’s one of the best movies she’s ever made, and one of the coolest vampire films you’ll see. Even if you don’t care about Bigelow’s sly commentary on ennui and despair in Middle America, you’ll get a kick out of the lunatic vampires on display.
Thirst
Even if you don’t like subtitles, it’s impossible to resist Chan-wook Park’s Thirst. Not quite an art-house experiment, not quite a horror film, Thirst is best understood as a melancholy love story. Be forewarned: it’s violent, sexual, and a little disturbing.
Bram Stoker’s Dracula
Everyone has their favorite version of this story, but mine is Francis Ford Coppola’s widely misunderstood rendition with Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, and Anthony Hopkins. Perhaps Coppola was never able to escape the high expectations he set for himself with The Godfather films and Apocalypse Now, but his version of Dracula remains the most moving vampire film ever made.
The Fearless Vampire Killers
Before Rosemary’s Baby and Chinatown made him a star, Roman Polanski directed The Fearless Vampire Killers, an incredibly funny take on the vampire mythology. The film is worth seeing for its successful slapstick humor and satirical point of view.
From Dusk Till Dawn
Quentin Tarantino. Robert Rodriguez. Harvey Keitel. George Clooney. Juliette Lewis. Salma Hayek. Cheech Martin. Danny Trejo. Enough said.
The Hunger
Catherine Deneuve, David Bowie, and Susan Sarandon star in The Hunger, a movie so bonkers it isn’t worth explaining. All you need to know is that it’s director Tony Scott’s first movie, and that Deneuve plays a vampire.
Martin
Horror master George A. Romero shows everyone how it’s done with Martin, a story about a teenage boy who may or may not be a vampire. Romero is known for his zombie films, but Martin proves that he’s a master in more than one horror sub-genre.
Interview with the Vampire
In order to truly appreciate Interview with the Vampire, you need to understand that director Neil Jordan turned a hopelessly sappy novel into a surprisingly mature motion picture. Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise play everyone’s favorite vampires (before Robert Pattinson stole their thunder), and Kirsten Dunst gives a star-making performance.
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"I just remember arriving at set that day and they had talked about this scene with Ralph (Fiennes), Harvey (Keitel) and Wes (Anderson): 'OK, you're going to slap Tony', and I wasn't there. I arrived to set, he slapped me and, because Wes likes 47 takes, we rounded about 42 takes - and he's an ex-Marine; there's no small slap, he goes for it." Hollywood newcomer Tony Revolori endured a beating from ex-Marine Harvey Keitel while filming scenes in new movie Grand Budapest Hotel.

City Lights Pictures via Everett Collection
Watching an NC-17 movie has a very strange effect on the psyche. First off, you feel beyond bad ass. Chances are you've been watching R-rated movies for a while now, but the first time you saw a NC-17 rating you probably didn't even know what it was. And if you asked your mom, there's a good chance she rushed you away from that big sign in the movie theatre so you guys could go watch Pleasantville. Well, you're all grown up now, and while there's nothing against Pleasantville (great flick actually), there's nothing quite like putting the kids to bed, turning on Netflix, tip-toeing back to the kids' room to make sure they're really asleep this time, going back to Netflix and picking a big, bad NC-17 flick. Here are a few you should definitely check out. And remember 1.) Kids to bed, 2.) turn on Netflix, 3.) double back to kids' room and confirm Zzzzs, 4.) pick one:
Bad Lieutenant
Harvey Keitel plays a coke-sniffing, gambling lieutenant (you know, the bad kind) who works to solve a nun's rape case. I'm not going to tell you what she was assaulted with, or what Keitel's body looks like in the nude, but suffice it to say, this movie really works hard to earn its rating.
Descent
Disclaimer: Descent is considered by some to be the worst movie... ever. But doesn't that kind of make you want to see it more? Rosario Dawson plays a college student who goes on a revenge rampage like no other after being assaulted.
Inside Deep Throat
Yes! A documentary with a NC-17 rating! Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato take us inside one of the highest grossing movies in film history, Deep Throat. The original 1972 pornographic flick (starring Linda Lovelace) introduced the world to porno chic and nothing's been quite the same since then.
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Uma Thurman reunited with Harvey Keitel and Tim Roth on Friday (18Oct13) to honour their Pulp Fiction director Quentin Tarantino at an emotional tribute in France. The filmmaker was praised by colleagues and collaborators at a ceremony in Lyon as he received the prestigious Prix Lumiere accolade in recognition of his Hollywood career.
Keitel was moved to tears as he spoke about his relationship with Tarantino, telling the audience, "Damn, I'm not going to make it through this... I always felt we were meant for each other and nothing could keep us apart. Maybe if he had been a woman we could have gotten married, had kids! Working with Quentin is like reading a great novel or hearing a great symphony or piece of music - it changes you. You don't know how, but it has."
Handing the Prix Lumiere to Tarantino, Thurman gushed, "For all your wildness, your work always has aspirations for justice, freedom from oppression, courage, and most of all love and passion... You have been an explosion of dynamite in the art of cinema itself."
Tarantino thanked the stars for making his scripts come to life, declaring, "I don't have words for how I feel - probably one of the first times that has happened to me. I have always thought of myself as a lone wolf, but always because I never really had a family, but these people are my family. Their affection and respect is all I ever want."
Previous recipients of the Prix Lumiere include Clint Eastwood, Milos Forman, Gerard Depardieu and Ken Loach.
Backstage, Tarantino was later handed France's highest cultural honour as he was made a Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters (Ordre des Arts et des Lettres) by culture minister Aurelie Filippetti, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Oscar winner Adrien Brody will be making magic on the small screen in a new mini-series about legendary illusionist Harry Houdini. The Piano star will play the master magician, who wowed crowds around the world with his death-defying escapes at the beginning of the 20th Century, in a new project for the History Channel.
It will focus on how the American-Hungarian performer overcame an impoverished background to become an international sensation, famed for escaping from handcuffs and straitjackets under water.
House of Cards star Kristen Connolly will play Houdini's wife Bess in the four-part series, which will begin filming later this year (13).
Tony Curtis, Harvey Keitel and Guy Pearce have all played the enigmatic escapologist before.

John Travolta and director Oliver Stone were the toast of the 48th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic as they were both honoured for their outstanding contribution to film. The stars, along with Czech costume designer Theodor Pistek, were each handed the Crystal Globe Award for Outstanding Artistic Contribution to World Cinema at the festival's closing ceremony on Saturday (06Jul13).
Stone delivered an impassioned speech to the audience on accepting the prize in which he credited his inner turmoil and passion for self exploration with driving him to succeed.
He said, "I'm honoured by your recognition... Films continue to teach me and I hope to continue to make films. As you know from watching mine, there is still in me a tension that has haunted me all my life...
"These tensions will not allow me to let this award, or any honour... to stop me from looking for the next undiscovered land... In the spirit of this I will say to those of you out there, young dreamers, do not cease the exploration of yourselves."
Stone and Travolta, who unveiled his new thriller Killing Season at the festival, follow in the footsteps of stars including Dame Helen Mirren, Harvey Keitel and John Malkovich who have all been honoured with the accolade.

Co-starred with William Hurt as a cigar store manager in "Smoke," directed by Wayne Wang and scripted by Paul Auster; reprised role in the companion film "Blue in the Face"; served as executive producer on the latter

Co-starred with William Hurt, Sigourney Weaver, and Ron Silver in the Broadway play "Hurlyburly"

Made debut as TV series regular on ABC's "Life on Mars," playing Det. Gene Hunt

Worked as a court stenographer at Manhattan Criminal Court for eight years

Re-teamed with Rudolph to appear in the thriller "Mortal Thoughts"

Played mobster Mickey Cohen in "Bugsy"; scripted by Toback; earned Golden Globe and Oscar nominations for Best Supporting Actor

Answered a newspaper advertisement placed by Martin Scorsese, then an NYU student director, seeking actors for his first film

Played the abusive boyfriend of Ellen Burstyn's Alice in "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore"; again collaborated with Scorsese

Summary

To pigeonhole Harvey Keitel as a master of edgy degenerates and killers would have dismissed the actor's many successes with surly husbands, benign cops and intrepid detectives. His prolific but slow-to-ignite career began with memorably unlikable supporting roles in Martin Scorsese character studies "Taxi Driver" (1976) and "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore" (1974), though he turned to European films shortly thereafter when he failed to find a suitable place in mainstream films. An Academy-Award nominated supporting role in "Bugsy" (1991) heralded a new beginning for Keitel on American soil, and he became a favorite on the indie film scene of the 1990s through his association with Quentin Tarantino cult classics "Reservoir Dogs" (1992) and "Pulp Fiction" (1994). Keitel had several successes when he chose to tap his inner soft side, like in Jane Campion's "The Piano" (1993), but by far, he was the go-to guy for potentially explosive everymen, grizzled police force veterans and G-men in both subtle indies and gun-blazing big budget adventures alike.

Met in a Paris cafe; Married in 1982; Separated in 1991 when Bracco left Keitel for Edward James Olmos; Divorced in 1993 ; Engaged in a five-year legal battle for custody of her daughter Stella that ended in 1999

Born Dec. 10, 1985; mother, Lorraine Bracco; parents were involved in a custody dispute from the time they separated in 1991; her mother was eventually awarded full custody; Acted together in "Bad Lieutenant" (1992)

Harry Keitel

Father

Polish; Ran a luncheonette on Avenue X in Brooklyn with Keitel's mother

Miriam Keitel

Mother

Romanian; Ran a luncheonette on Avenue X in Brooklyn with Keitel's father

Roman Keitel

Son

Born Aug. 17, 2004; mother, Daphna Kastner

Toni Welsh

Companion

No longer together

Education

Name

Actors Studio

Alexander Hamilton Vocational School

Abraham Lincoln High School

Notes

About working with director Martin Scorsese: "[It was like] walking into a room...and looking into a woman's eyes. She looks back, and for whatever reasons, you both know it's something special." – Keitel quoted in Premiere, September 1990

"I can think of no more important endeavor than reading. To be a little dramatic, it's saved my life in many ways. I've been pursuing it now for a long time. Heavily, I'd say, for the past ten years. I began very late. When I say I began in the Marine Corps, I mean I opened a book then. I had a desire to understand this chaos I was experiencing in my body. And books were a guide. If I had only one wish for my children, it would be that they become readers." – Keitel to Nick Tosches in Esquire, September 1993

"You know the saying, 'Once a marine, always a marine?' I am still a marine today. We shared this brotherhood of the spirit that to this day I feel, as do all former marines. It lifted me, it elevated me, it spirited me, it challenged me to my limits, and my limits were extended. That helped me sustain a great deal of the struggle I encountered on my road to becoming an actor. I heard on the news that a large percentage of the members of Congress have never had military experience. That's mind-boggling to me. We cannot send other young men out to fight wars while we enjoy the fruits of democracy that we have never stood up for. That is not right. I am personally against the volunteer army. I think every young man should serve. I don't understand how we can allow our lower-middle class and underclass to fight our wars while the privileged never have to serve. That's a disgrace." – Keitel quoted in Interview, May 1999

"If politics is the business of the city, theatre is its soul. Theatre is a religion and, as such, could well be a thing to be worshipped." – Keitel to Suzie Mackenzie in The Guardian, November 13, 1999

On his first meeting with Robert De Niro: "I was going to a session at the Actors Studio, and there was a friend of mine and her boyfriend standing outside with Robert. And one of them said, 'Robert, this is Harvey. Harvey this is Robert.' We looked at each other and started to smile. We just kept laughing and shaking our heads in acknowledgment of something; I guess we found out later what that was." – Keitel to Premiere, March 2005